Sikandar Raza outsmarted MS Dhoni‘s well laid out plans to clinch a thrilling last-ball win for Punjab Kings against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Sunday. With 3 runs needed from the final delivery, Dhoni made a few changes to the field with three fielders on the leg side along with a sweeper cover and a long-off. The plan was to target the leg stump and make sure that Raza was not able to hit a boundary. However, Raza was able to guide the ball above backward square leg and although the ball was stopped before the boundary, the batters ran three to win the game. It was a rare instance when “Captain Cool” was not able to implement his masterplan.
Raza and @PunjabKingsIPL stun #CSK with the highest-ever #TATAIPL chase at Chepauk by an away side #CSKvPBKS #IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/FCZWvFFDFM
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) April 30, 2023
Punjab Kings sealed a stunning four-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings with Sikandar Raza holding his nerve to knock off the required three runs off the final ball in a tense Indian Premier League match at Chepauk on Sunday.
Chasing 201 for a win, Punjab needed nine runs from the final over bowled by Matheesha Pathirana who conceded just two from the first three deliveries. But Raza remained calm under immense pressure, scoring two runs each from the next two deliveries.
Raza (13 not out) sent the final ball towards the boundary but Maheesh Theekshana stopped it just before the ropes in a brilliant fielding effort but by that time the PBKS batters had completed three runs to the stunned silence of the home crowd at Chepauk.
Punjab finished at 201 for 6 as Prabhsimran Singh (42), Liam Livingstone (40), Sam Curran (29) and Jitesh Sharma (21) playing crucial roles as CSK opener Devon Conway‘s brilliant knock of 92 not out went in vain.
Punjab batters did well to pull off a win after victory looked difficult in the middle overs before Livingstone and Curran turned things around. The 24 runs conceded by Tushar Deshpande in the 16th over proved crucial in the final analysis.
With 22 runs needed from 12 balls, Jitesh Sharma (21 off 10 balls) hit the first ball for a four and got two off the next. He fell off the fourth ball, caught by substitute Shaik Rasheed in the deep. The third umpire ruled the batter out after the fielder caught the ball and tripped back close to the boundary rope.
Deshpande finished with 3 for 49 from his four overs while Ravindra Jadeja took 2 for 32 in his quota of four overs.
(With PTI inputs)
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